At the bottom of the VM window (not the guest window) the
icon for the CR-Rom is constantly flashing?
Is that normal???
This is VM WS 5.5.3
It is if your guest OS is accessing the CD-ROM drive.
I am doing nothing with the guest, yet VM is constantly flashing the icon.
There is no CD in the drive.....
What is your guest OS? If Windows, often Explorer "pings" the CD drive periodically to see if a disc has been inserted.
Just disconnect the virtual CD drive from your guest if you're not using it. When you need to use it, reconnect it.